The misunderstood caregiver? A qualitative study of the male caregiver of Alzheimer's disease victims.

In-depth interviews with 15 male caregivers from diverse backgrounds caring for their wives with Alzheimer's disease revealed the following common themes: commitment, social isolation, the loss of companionship, control, sense of accomplishment, a problem-solving approach, burden lessening with years of caregiving, and limited expectations of children. A generated typology of male caregivers included four types: the worker, the labor of love, the sense of duty, and at the crossroads.